


Can't you see my scars?

by Yeira



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Psychological Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2020-09-25 08:35:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20373847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeira/pseuds/Yeira
Summary: When the young doctor Theresa Scott has to close her practice, she has worked hard for her whole life and has to face serious financial problems, a dubious offer arrives at her doorstep.Standing in front of the shards of her existence and deprived of other possibilities, she decides to follow the instructions, that lead her into an office in the Buckingham palace and down into the dungeons.She helplessly gets enmeshed in a plot of lies, betrayal and love – the game is on and she's in the thick of it!





	1. An offer too good to refuse

**Author's Note:**

> Just as a disclaimer, I don’t own or have any legal rights regarding the “Sherlock“ characters, I just create this story for fun. This also correlates to the songs of “Queen” later mentioned in the story: I don't have any rights regarding them.  
With this out of the way, I should probably also let you know, that this is my first fanfiction and English is not my first language, so I sincerely apologise for mistakes and clunky writing. Hopefully, you’re still going to enjoy it (a bit). 
> 
> This story will turn from a Moriarty x OC, to a Mycroft x OC in the end, with enough fluff, angst and smut for fans of both characters.  
In the series timeline, this story takes place during the time Mycroft has captured James and is torturing him for information. It won’t follow the series directly, but will touch it from time to time. But please don't expect an exact representation of the show.
> 
> Enjoy reading!

It was a beautiful, sunny Thursday morning, the birds were chirping in the trees, the first commuters were on their way to work – everything was normal or maybe even better than normal. At least for everyone except Tessa.

It was not even a month ago, that she had had to give up her dream of helping the sick and the needing by leading her own practice. And only because this world was so cruel and was dictated by capitalism. Hadn't she suffered enough already with the death of her parents? It seemed like fate really hated her and every time she had pulled herself together again, another blow struck her. It has been like this for her whole life.

One just had to look at her “career” to understand this. Learning had always been hard for her, but spurred on by the wish to reach her goal, she slowly started to improve her sloppy grades. It was close to say the least, but in the end it was enough: she got a place at London university and began to study for her PhD. Money had been constantly running low in her family, her mother was hardly earning enough to sustain their poor lifestyle in a London suburb, never mind paying the large fees of university. This left Tessa struggling throughout her whole study, working tirelessly as a waitress to pay the bills, while brooding over textbooks in her “free“ time. It soon became clear to her professors, that although she was only barely passing the written exams and seemingly always sleepy, Tessa excelled at the practical side of things (in her regard the only things that really mattered). Her bandages were applied neatly and whenever she had to close a wound or make an infusion, the patient never felt more than a little sting.

Shortly before her final exams, misfortune fell upon her family and Tessa was thrown off her feet. She was sitting in a lesson, trying her hardest not to fall asleep, when the message reached her:  
Her mother had taken her father to see a doctor and on the way, a drunk man, driving on the wrong side of the road, had crashed into them. None of them had even made it to the hospital. Devastated, she ignored the set dates for her exams and slowly, grief-stricken began to resolve her family affairs. From the small savings her parents had left her, she financed their funeral and then, she proceeded to sell everything except her dearest keepsakes. She moved out of her childhood home and into a small, far cheaper apartment, resuming her study half a year after the incident.

Now all by herself, she successfully got her PhD and made her dream come true: in a broken down building, that she bought with her own savings, she started her practice. It was a troublesome neighbourhood, but both her situation as well as the whole region improved over the years. She quickly built up a reliable stock of patients, drawing in more and more. The people enjoyed the openness and friendliness of the young doctor and combined with the tidy, renovated facility, it was a perfect package.  
Things went so well, that after a few years, Tessa moved into a bigger apartment, greatly enjoying the abundance of space.  
Yet fate just didn’t want to see her happy and with the suburb now being a respected, clean area, which started to become attractive to businessmen, big investors became interested as well. A new, huge practice, filled with equipment Tessa could only dream of, opened up right opposite of her little building. The owner had made lucrative contracts with the pharmaceutical industry and was able to beat her in every way. Gradually, her patients left her and half a year later, even the most loyal of them submitted to the better competition Tessa was forced to close down her business..

Now without an income, severe financial problems awaited her soon. If she didn’t find a way to financially get back on her feet, she might even land on the street, unable to pay the rent for her beautiful apartment...

With these cheerful thoughts in mind, she slowly trotted into her kitchen and brew herself a coffee, strong enough to wake up the dead. Sipping it, she skimmed through the new mail: advertisement, advertisement, bill, bill… frustrated she was about to throw it all in the bin, when a small, black envelope flew out of its hiding spot directly in front of her feet. She had never received a letter like this before. Wondering what it could be, she took it back to the table with her and using a simple butter knife, she sliced it open. A little sheet of creamy white paper with the seal of the British crown on it greeted her. Now really confused, Tessa broke the seal, unfolded the sheet and read the short message. Presented in immaculate, elegant handwriting, it said:

“Miss Scott,  
Your name has been mentioned to us by a multitude of reliable sources and you have been recommended to us as a competent, loyal young doctor, who is not afraid to work hard if necessary.  
We also took note of the direness of your current situation and we would like to hereby provide you with the possibility of not only solving your financial issues, but to serve your country and the crown. England, no, whole Europe is counting on your cooperation.  
We expect you on Thursday, at 11.30 am at the Buckingham Palace. Show this letter to the guard on duty and follow his instructions closely. It is of the utmost importance that you remain absolutely quiet about this letter. If we get informed, that you have spoken to someone about this (and believe us, Miss Scott, we will find out), you will realise, that there’s a fate far worse than being close to bankruptcy.  
Awaiting you,  
M.H.“

Puzzled, Tessa read it again. And again. After the fourth time reading it, she was sure that she wasn’t imagining the message. But understanding it was a completely different story.  
_“England, no, whole Europe is counting on your cooperation. That must be an exaggeration, right? And that last sentence, is that a threat? Who is this M.H. person anyway?”_

It was clearly suspicious and she would have thrown it away without wasting a second thought on it.. if it weren’t for the seal. She examined it closely and after a short comparison to pictures on the Internet, she knew without a doubt, that it was real. This letter came from the crown of England.  
_“The possibility of solving my financial issues…"_  
Her eyes flew up to look at the clock: she had one hour until she was expected at the palace. Grabbing the letter, she got up.

In the future, Tessa would often look back to this moment. The moment, when everything began, when her destiny was altered: the moment she decided to go to the meeting. It was a spontaneous decision, maybe even a dumb one: she didn't even try to research the ominous M.H. person. Clearly it must be an official working for the government, one with high enough power to have access to the seal, but curiously she has never heard of someone with these initials in the news. On another occasion, she would have been more resilient, analyse everything – but the letter was right: her situation was dire.

Taking a quick shower, putting on a bit of make-up to hide her freckles and dressing in the most elegant piece of cloth her wardrobe held, a knee length black summer dress made out of silk, that had long seen its best days, she prepared herself how she saw fit for the upcoming surprise.  
With only five minutes left till 11.30 am, Tessa hurried across the lights and sighed in frustration when she saw the long queue of tourists stretching out in front of her. Excusing her way through and ignoring the angry glares, she managed to arrive at the entrance guard.

Once she handed him the letter in response to him asking for her ticket, he paused.  
“This is not a valid ticket, madame.”  
He looked at her closely, then back to the letter, then back to her.  
“Wait here.”  
With this he turned around and vanished inside the building, eagerly talking into his walkie-talkie. Screams of frustration and anger arose in the queue behind her.  
“Follow the instructions of the guard on duty“, that’s what the note had said and that’s what she did. Positioning herself outside of the furious crowd, now pressing inside the palace uncontrolled, she stood there waiting patiently. Approximately ten minutes later, the guard returned and with him, two more.

“Follow us, Miss Scott“, both of them said in unison and Tessa was taken in between them, finally passing the entrance of Buckingham Palace.  
They led her past the general touristic area and through a door into the more private sectors of the complex. Then, in front of a big wooden door with the crest of the royal family engraved into it, they stopped.

“Do you have anything with you, that might be considered dangerous or might function as a weapon?“  
Puzzled by the question, Tessa looked at the guard to her right. Meeting his cold stare, she wasn’t able to suppress a little shiver – he meant that question deadly serious. And that question came from a muscular man, who was visibly carrying a gun..

“N…no, I don’t. I think I’m here for an interview...please, I don't want to threaten anyone“.  
Being looked at like that made her feel more and more uncomfortable, almost enough to trigger her “chat mode“. Out of her embarrassment to show emotions in front of others, she only cried behind closed doors and she tried her hardest to fully control herself in public. But sometimes, when it just became to much, she couldn't suppress an outbreak of uncontrolled chatter.

“That might very well be, Miss Scott, but I’m afraid we are still obligated to search you thoroughly. Please stand still and upright while we conduct the search.“  
Swallowing stiffly, she straightened and let them search her. Not moving a single muscle and with her eyes closed, only sensing their big hands touching all over her body, Tessa felt even more at unease. As soon as they were finished, she took a few steps back.

“And? Did you find anything?”, she asked them. Fixing her dress and her hair again, she tried not to look to distressed.  
“You are free to enter, Miss Scott. We will await your return here and then escort you safely out of the palace. But please know, that we will see every move you'll make.“  
Both guards positioned themselves opposite the huge door and with completely neutral faces, they started waiting.

Tessa stood in front of the door, taking all its beauty in, before slowly opening it. It was too late to hesitate now, she had come this far, now she had to pull through. Besides the age of this monstrosity, there was no squeaking, it opened easily and revealed the pompous office, that lay behind it. Mustering all her courage, she took a tiny step inside. The hard floor of the hallway gave way to soft, thick red carpet, that invited oneself to slip out of the shoes and bury the toes into the softness. As the wooden door closed behind her with a loud bang, Tessa flinched. Then, to calm her nerves, she allowed herself one moment to breath and to take in her new surrounding. Luxury had enveloped her.

The room she had entered had the dimension of her old flat and was filled to the brim with bookshelves. Made out of polished, shimmering wood (her best guess was Mahagoni), these shelves covered both sides of the room as well as the back, only leaving room for a chimney and three old-fashioned windows. They were as high as the ceiling and inside of them were white folders, accurately placed one next to another, sorted in a system unknown to her. If there weren’t folders in them, they were filled with books, large and fat ones, all coated in creamy white leather with the name of the book written on their wrists in tiny, black letters. It seemed as if the bookshelves built the frame for the gigantic Mahagoni desk, that dominated the room and was placed in such a way, that the natural light from the windows illuminated the gleaming surface. The desk itself was full of papers and folders, leaving only little space to actually work on it.

Behind that desk sat a man, immaculately dressed in a custom made, obviously very expensive black suite, with a dark red tie and a matching pocket handkerchief completing his attire. His black hair shimmered in the direct sunlight, conditioner kept every single well groomed hair in its exact position. Already in these first few moments, he made a lasting impression on her: his elegance, perfection and distance from everything made him feel so unreal, more like the cut-out of a typical gentleman appearing in romance novels than a real human being.  
Taking another step forward, Tessa cleared her throat and hardly controlling her nervousness, she spoke into the silence.

“Good morning, I was called here by a letter and the guards escorted me to your office. Could you possibly be M.H., who sent me the message?“  
There was only a little shiver noticeable in her voice and she held her head high to give a good first impression.  
The man looked up from his work and his cold grey eyes flew over her body, analysing her in seconds. Slowly, he put his filigree pen away, his slender fingers hovering over his papers for a moment, as if he was unsure about how to greet her. Then he got up from his throne like chair and moved around the desk. There were no emotions visible in his face and although he was years older than her, she couldn’t help but acknowledge his attractiveness.

“Miss Scott, is that correct? Indeed, I have been waiting for you… please, sit down while we discuss the details of my generous offer.“  
His voice sent another shiver down her spine, being soft and deep, reminding her of melted dark chocolate. And while he didn’t speak loudly, she still could hear him as clearly as if he was directly whispering into her ear.

Closing the distance between them, Tessa accepted the chair he offered her and sat down opposite of him. From here, she could see a black umbrella, lying in a marvellous silver umbrella stand attached to his side of the desk. His finger ran gently over its handle before he sat back down. Unsure what to say, she remained silent.

“I have all the important information here with me, but before I can talk it through with you, Miss Scott, I’ll have to ask you to sign this.“  
With that, M.H. took one of the many folders from his desk, opened it and handed Tessa a sheet of paper. She took it and once she glanced over it, she was shocked to discover it was a zipper clause.

“I know very well, what you are thinking right now, Miss Scott. And if I didn’t know, it would be fairly easy to deduce. I can see it at over thirty different signals of your body. But please, it is necessary, that you sign the agreement.“  
He relaxed back into his chair and folded his hands over his waist, a picture of pure dominance.

“P...pardon me?“, Tessa asked and looked up from the paper in confusion. Every part of this situation, his behaviour, the contract, the offer confused her more and more and prevented her from thinking straight.  
He smirked and as he opened his mouth again, it was as if a waterfall of words cascaded over her and washed her away. He was speaking so rapidly, Tessa was hardly able to follow him.

“Well, first of all it’s obvious that you are both nervous and confused, your pulse is continuously rising, your eyes are widened and your hands are shaking. Also you’re avoiding direct eye contact, playing with your hair and you’re sweating more than what is normal for this temperature. I could go on, but I see you already got the gist of it: there’s nothing people can hide from me. Oh, and I appreciate the effort of you trying to stop the unnecessary fumbling, it’s an irritating emotional human reaction to pressure and prevents me from fully concentrating.“

Indeed, she had only just now caught herself playing with a strain of her hair and had folded her hands neatly on her legs to stop them from moving on their own. She hadn’t even noticed when she had started it. Overwhelmed by his speech, she shook her head and sat more upright. This conversation couldn’t go on like that, she had to do something!  
So she forced a smile on her lips and grabbed the pen in front of her. With a big motion, she signed the zipper clause.  
As she looked at her signature, a bitter thought rushed through her mind and brought sadness to her eyes. Her forced smile began to waver and then disappeared.

_“I don't have anyone to talk to anyway... Yes, I'm all alone, because everybody left me: my parents, my patients...”_

When she stretched out her arm to give him the contract, her hand was shaking visibly. It took her full strength not to burst out into tears. This happened from time to time, when the full realisation of her loss slapped her in the face. As usual, she fled into the easiest solution: suppression and distraction. So she concentrated on her confusion and slight anger and just let the words flow.

“Here you go. Might I now finally know, with whom I have the honour to speak to and why I’m here? I don’t want to be impolite or anything, but normally I’m not talked down to and it doesn’t feel very good, you know? Besides, I wouldn’t have talked to anybody anyway, so this zipper clause is unnecessary. And of course I’m nervous, I was ordered here by a mysterious letter and haven’t been told anything...“

Panting, she slowly got herself back under control. She had desperately wanted to avoid this outbreak of chatter, but after him talking to her like that, she hadn’t been able to. At least she wasn't depressed any more. Looking down on her shoes in shame, she mumbled an apology.

“No need to be ashamed, Miss Scott. I have witnessed great corporate bosses break down in despair in front of me and crying like little babies, so actually you’re managing the situation really well. I now know, that you will be able to withstand the stress of the upcoming task and that we’ve selected the right candidate.  
Also, please excuse my lack of manners and let me introduce myself. Indeed, I’m the person who sent the letter, and M.H. are my initials. I’m Mycroft Holmes, the British government personified, but you may just call me Mr. Holmes.“

_“How generous of him, allowing me to only call him by his last name without any title. Clearly, he must be exaggerating by describing himself as the British government in person, but his office and behaviour are the portrait of power. What an interesting man I’ve just met…“._  
Normally, she would have just laughed at a man with an ego as big as his, thinking it was just a cheap way of hitting on girls, but the way he spoke of himself prevented her from putting him into that category. He didn't want to impress her, he was simply stating a fact. And that itself was pretty scary.

Her taste of men had always been a peculiar one and although she had been popular with the boys during high school (they had thought her nativity was cute and exploitable), she had never had a long lasting relationship. She simply got bored quickly and split up with them. This man, Mycroft Holmes, was the first one to really spark her interest...

Pausing briefly, he took the zipper clause from her, his soft manicured hands touching hers for a moment. He tucked it away in the folder, while she looked at him starstruck – did she just imagine the electricity in the air, when they touched? Then, he took another multi sided contract out of it and lay it on the desk in between them. As he closed the white folder again, Tessa could see, that her name was written on the sides of it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you“, Tessa whispered and concentrated on the sheet of paper, following his elegant fingers pointing at paragraphs.

“This clause is only a further reassurance, that you will keep quiet. Please, don't think that I mistrust you, otherwise you wouldn't be sitting here right now. I'm just a man who covers everything multiple times. This paragraph is regulating our relationship, with me being your superior and on the next page“, he flipped the contract, “we find the description of your task and your payment.“  
She tried to understand the complex structure of sentences, but gave up quickly and let him highlight the most important points. She had to trust him with this, lawyers were obviously speaking another language than normal people. When he casually mentioned the exact sum of her salary, she swallowed and looked at him with wide eyes.

“Could you please repeat this again, Sir?”  
_“Is “Sir” even the right way to address him? I don't want to make any mistakes now, he seems like the type of man, who's proud of his achievements and wants others to acknowledge them.”_  
The numbers on the page started to spin in front of her, whenever she tried to comprehend their meaning. They just couldn't be right.

“Is there a problem? You'll be paid directly by me and the salary is reflecting your responsibilities. Twice a week or whenever I deem appropriate, you'll be collected from your apartment by a car of mine and driven to your workplace, where you'll treat your patient. You won't have to worry about where you are and why your patient is hurt. That's not part of your job and not your belonging. It's simple and secure.”

He looked at here with his unusually grey eyes (why didn't she notice them before?) and Tessa felt like drowning in a misty dark sea – it was as if he was directly looking into her soul, reading her every thought. Mesmerised by his look, she forgot everything else, including answering. This seemed to annoy him, his eyebrows raising in almost perfectly controlled anger. It was the first time during their meeting, that he ever showed emotions.

“Or is even this simple task too complicated for your ordinary mind? God, how awful it must be to be limited to the capacities of such a small brain. I thought higher of you, Ms. Scott.”

Now there was an underlying tone of disappointment in his seductive voice, it hit her right into the heart. Suddenly she felt like everything she ever did was wrong. Why did he get so much control over her in this short amount of time?  
Helplessly blushing, she looked down on her feet. She didn't want him to be angry, what if he decided she was not worth his time or money? Then she would be left struggling on her own again.

“I...I understand Sir and I'm grateful for the opportunity you provide me with. I'm sure all my questions will be answered later on, when I start working. Where should I sign and when will I begin? I don't want to bother you further, I'm terribly sorry!”  
Without second guessing any more, she instantly put her signature on all the lines he pointed out with his slender fingers. Then Tessa rose, the desire to escape this strange situation suddenly becoming overwhelming. When their eyes met again, he seemed amused. Had he been expecting this reaction? Was he mocking her?

“Well...”, he made a pause as if he was tasting the silence, that now hang between them, “If you have questions just feel free to ask me. When you leave, one of the guards will hand you a mobile. My number is already put into it and I ask you to only use this device for contacting me. Nothing else, do you understand, Ms. Scott?”

She nodded and tramped through the thick carpet back to the majestic door. She could feel his cold stare burning a hole through her back, so she turned around one last time and looked at him. He stood handsomely directly in front of the big window, his hands resting on his beautiful black umbrella and the sun painting a halo around his head – the epitome of a royal gentleman. And he looked at her with dark shimmering eyes, completely swallowing her...  
She turned around and left the room.


	2. Entangled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The life shattering encounter left a lasting impression on the young woman, lingering shadows hunting her dream. These dreams could soon transform into nightmares, when her phone is ringing for the first time and Tessa is confronted with the truth behind her new job. The girl is starting to struggle in the web...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
The second chapter is here! I hope you enjoy it just as much as the first one, although it is a bit shorter. Chapter lenghts will vary, depending on what I have planed for in a particular setting.  
Have funs and don't feel afraid to comment :)

Tessa was sitting in the luxurious chair in front of the desk again, but this time, the room was shrouded in darkness. No sunshine glistened through the windowpanes, only the full moon painted silver circles on the carpet, whenever it peeked out behind the thick clouds. From this little light, she could barely see the papers lying directly in front of her on the desk, it looked like another contract. When she wanted to pick the contract up to get a closer look, she was shocked to discover that she couldn't move her hands. A familiar red tie was looped around her wrists and tied them together strictly, but not painfully.

“Please, Theresa, there is no need to move. I'll tell you all the important details and you'll only have to say yes. It will be so simple once you have agreed: No thinking, no planning any more... no problems, no worries...”

Tessa shivered and turned her head. Mycroft was standing right behind her chair, his manicured, perfect hand was resting on the back of it, gently stroking the polished wood. His normally neutral voice was now filled with hardly suppressed emotions – desire and lust made his voice deeper, hoarser and definitely more seductive. His eyes were resting on her, the moonlight reflected itself in his black, gleaming iris. She was dually constrained, both physically tied up and captivated by his charisma. She could do nothing, but sit still and listen to him.

“I would have all the control, all the responsibilities. You would be free, free to enjoy the luxury and the pleasure I can give to you. Please say yes, Theresa...”  
His fingers reached her neck and softly touched her thin, vulnerable white skin. Flinching, Tessa got goosebumps all over her body and tried to evade his touch by leaning forward. One of his strong hands firmly held her in the chair and his fingers continued their passionate assault. His fingers gently played with a strain of her long hair, lifting it up. Mycroft buried his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply. When he sighed, Tessa felt his warm breath on her neck and couldn't help but moan with pleasure as his nose began to run along her throat. This felt forbidden, but at the same time, it felt so right.  
“You'll be mine Theresa, my Tessa, and you'll be surprised, what I can do to you. What you'll want me to do to you. I know very well, how to pleasure a woman and I like to have control over every part of my life.”

He started kissing around her bosom, licking, biting his way to the rim of her blouse...

A sharp, nerve-racking tone rudely awoke Tessa and catapulted her out of her dream.  
Three days had passed since her encounter in the Buckingham Palace and she had not been sleeping particularly well since. Mycroft Holmes and his grey eyes had been haunting her every night. Her dreams weren't real nightmares, but they always touched on her deepest hidden desires and this disturbed her. Whenever she awoke, she was pale, soaked in sweat and her bedsheets were rumpled up. Tessa couldn't understand, why her subconscious put her in those situations with him. There had been nothing in the interview, that had pointed in any of these directions, right?

“_Oh, but his eyes, his dark shimmering eyes, that looked right into my soul... Maybe he really saw all of my fears, the desires, I'm even hiding from myself... It was as if he wanted to swallow me whole, but it might be, that I just imagined that. He seems like a composed man, above those “lower instincts”, as he would probably put it. I just can't bare the loneliness any more...”_

But this night, not her dream was to blame for her sudden awakening: the mobile phone, the guards gave to her before she fled the palace, was lying on her bedside table and was the source of this annoying tone. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Tessa got up and reached for the phone: it was black and although she had looked on the Internet, she hadn't been able to find the exact model on sale anywhere – it seemed as if this mobile had been created just for her. What a silly thought! A notification appeared on the unlock-screen, she had received a message from Mycroft Holmes. This could only mean one thing: She was about to meet her patient for the first time.

Trembling, she clicked on the notification and entered her code. The message itself was short and unequivocally clear:  
“My car is waiting for you outside. You don't have to bring anything with you besides your ID. M.H.”  
Tessa forbid herself from thinking about this confusing, sexually arousing dream – she had important work to do and had to focus. Quickly readying herself in the bathroom and then putting on her old doctor's white coat, she didn't waste any time and left her flat. As soon as she entered the pavement, she saw the luxurious black car with the darkened windowpanes parking next to the road. A man wearing a black suit and sunglasses (in the middle of the night!) got out of the car and opened the door for her.

“Please, Miss Scott, enter the car and I will drive you to your destination.”  
Wrapping her coat tighter around herself, Tessa got into the car and sighed as the warmth of the car shielded her against the cold of the night. She put on the seat belt and relaxed back into the soft black leather. The motor was purring like a cat and the nocturnal scenery flew past them – it seemed as if they were driving to a place outside of London. The monotonous up and down of the car ultimately lulled Tessa back to sleep and she lost track of her location. The next thing she noticed was the car stopping.

“Please, Miss Scott, we have arrived at our destination. The guards are awaiting you and will escort you to your patient. I'll pick you up here once you're finished.”  
The next few minutes became blurred in her tired mind. She only vaguely remembered the black, meaningless environment, the check of her ID, the sterile, white hallways and the descent in the huge elevator. But as soon as she and her new two shadows had left the elevator, she was wide awake. Another long, grey hallway stretched out in front of her with closed rooms to both sides – what disturbed her, was the sudden noise. Screams filled with agony, horror and naked fear echoed through the narrow pathway, ringing in her ears as the guards led her stonily past one door after the other. Her thoughts ran wild.

“_What is this place? Those screams... the poor souls must be in terrible pain, I have to help them! Why is nobody doing anything?!”  
_Then a few moments later, it dawned on her, what was really happening. And this thought was so horrible, that she started shivering and went pale.  
_“They are torturing them for information! This is a secret prison and Mycroft, that means the government, is allowing this violation of human rights! It doesn't matter what they might have done, nobody deserves such treatment! What... should I do? I...the general public has a right to know about this! But the contract... Mycroft Holmes has deceived me and I fell right into his trap, because I was naïve and greedy...”_

She had to do something, she had to talk to Mycroft and retreat from the contract. Now the huge payment made sense, but no amount of money was enough to make her tolerate this. When she looked left and right, she was met with the cold stares of her two guardians – they wouldn't let her go, not until she had finished her work. But wasn't her work something good? She would help one of these poor people. Another bitter thought crossed her mind.

_“Yes, I'll heal him, just so that they can destroy him again. I'm not doing him a favour whatsoever. Didn't I vow to do everything in my power to protect and heal people? How can I follow my oath in a situation like this?!”_

They stopped at the end of the hallway in front of a particularly big door with seemingly more locks than the others. After checking the complete corridor, one of the men unlocked the door bit by bit and then took a step back.  
“Enter, Miss Scott. The necessary instruments are already inside, available to you. We will close the door behind you, knock on it three times and we will let you out. There's no reason to be afraid, we will always have an eye on you through cameras. Good luck.”  
With a spinning head and a confused heart, Tessa entered the prison cell.


	3. He's a killer king

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will await Tessa in this underground prison? In the sealed chamber, more carefully watched than any other?  
Her heart and mind willl get more confused as another player starts tucking at her strings, attempting to make her dance to music only he can hear...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: injuries and the mention of torture;  
I hope you enjoy the entrance of the third main character in this game, I am always eager to read your opinions :)  
Disclaimer: I don't have any rights regarding the music mentioned! Credit always goes to the original artist.

The door shut behind Tessa with a muffled bang – nobody could get in or out of the cell now. Slowly and constantly reminding herself, that she _could_ get out, she took a few steps into the brightly illuminated room. Immaculate white walls had encased her once again and unable to look anywhere else, Tessa's eyes were helplessly drawn into the centre of the room. An iron chair, attached to the grey floor with screws, was standing with its back to her and bound to that chair, sat her patient.

He was a middle-aged man and definitely handsome, would he not have been tortured and blemished. Even now in this condition, an aura of majesty surrounded him and he was still sitting upright with his head held high – a ruined king standing above it all. Already from this angle, Tessa could see a deep cut in his slender brown neck, that extended downwards, disappearing into his once clean and expensive shirt. His black hair was smeary and glistened with blood, another one of his well manicured features had been disturbed.

When the sound of her movement echoed through the otherwise silent room, he slowly turned his head and their eyes met. His hazelnut-brown eyes devoured her and although he was tied up, he was hurt and weak, Tessa felt like facing a wild beast. There was something hiding in those eyes, a hardly controlled savagery, suppressed anger and the beginning of madness, that made her feel even more uncomfortable. Breaking eye contact, she moved to the front of the chair and focused her attention on the small plywood table with a doctor's case on it, waiting for her.

The silence rang in her ears – she had to do something, this became unbearable. So while preparing the necessary instruments, sorting and sterilising them, she started blabbering.  
“I'm Tessa, your doctor, and I'm not here to hurt you. On the contrary, I'll try my best to help you and to ease your pain.”

She had to analyse the situation first, so bracing herself for the worst, she turned around. Once again his dark glare hit her, but this time, she freed herself of it quickly and looked at his wounds. From what she could see, he had one large haematoma on his right eye, a few cuts along his neck and arms and countless smaller bruises. Tessa sighed out of relief: she was prepared to deal with this. The thing she worried most about were his lips: they have followed the delicate sweep of his lips with a knife, leaving a thin bleeding line around them, almost as if they tried to cut them out. This was a severe and painful injury, but with the right treatment it could heal without leaving a scar – the torturer, without a doubt a professional, must have known this.

“What have they done to you? This is horrible... I might not know, what you and the other poor souls in here have done, but nobody deserves to be treated like this...”  
Breathing in and out, she tried to calm her nerves. She wanted to provide him with the best treatment possible, so emotional control was key.  
“For the beginning, I'll give you a pain killer and then I'll start working. I'll be as gentle as I can, promised.”  
Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, but in this silence it rang as loud as a scream. With shivering hands, she prepared the syringe and gently inserted the needle into the soft skin of the crook of his arm. As soon as she touched his skin, he hissed. Taking another deep breath in, Tessa withstood the instinct to flinch and continued. This was the first sound he had made ever since she had entered the cell: a sharp, animal like noise.

“_Is he a man or a beast? And is he willingly ignoring me or did they cut out his tongue? Maybe I should ask him to open his mouth, just to make sure.”  
_She put the now empty syringe back into the case and took ointments and bandages out of it. Tessa searched for the normal sign of relief in his face, that usually accompanied the pain killer, but his expression didn't change. He still looked at her sternly and said nothing. Maybe she would feel more comfortable if he talked to her.  
“_Why have I been this naïve, what did I do to deserve this? I thought I might be lucky once, when this cursed offer reached me, but in reality I'm exploited once again. But I shouldn't dwell on my own misery any longer, this man needs my help. Although I can't stop wondering, what he has done...”_

Starting with the smaller bruises, she carefully treated his injuries, leaving clean bandages, where open, bleeding wounds had been before. Her patient rarely winced and while working, Tessa fell back into her “chat mode”. Everything was better than silence and he didn't seem interested in chatting.

“There are only so few good looking men left and now they are blemishing the last ones.”  
She tried a little smile and switched topics.  
“I've always been terrible at the exams at university, but I've excelled on the practical side of things. And aren't these things not the important ones? I mean, you won't care about my grade in medical terminology as long as I apply my bandages neatly. My professors laughed about the fact, that I, who has been terrible at woodwork class, was the best seamstress of the year. But everybody has to be good at something, right?”  
She put a plaster on the haematoma, because the location didn't allow a bandage. It almost looked like an eyepatch, but he could still see clearly.

“I know this is uncomfortable, but I won't wrap a bandage around your whole head. You're not a mummy. Oh, and if you wish a special motive for the plasters, I could try to smuggle some in here. I still have ones with cartoon characters leftover from my practice...”  
Tessa let her voice trail off. The thought of her practice made her heart sting, but that was not the only reason: she just now remembered, how meaningless her whole effort was. A short, desperate laugh escaped her.  
“What am I even doing here? You'll be hurt again right?” She didn't even have to look at him for confirmation, she knew she was right.  
“And here I am, trying my hardest and even offering you cartoon plasters! You're being tortured, and I...”

Jittery, she combed through her hair and then turned around. She prepared another syringe: she had to sew his lips and for this, a local anaesthetization was necessary. Her view fell on her mobile and an idea came to her mind.  
“What about music? Everybody loves music, right? This way, I don't go on your nerves with my blabbering any more and we avoid this deafening silence. Any particular wishes?”

By now, she didn't expect an answer. He hadn't spoken a single word in the half hour, she had been here (it felt like days), so why should he suddenly start talking? Therefore she almost jumped, when he actually answered her question.

“Queen... I want to hear Queen...”  
His voice was deep and husky, he must have been silent for days on end, and it sent a shiver down her spine. The normal melody of his voice was still audible in spite of his hoarseness, he had to be a great talker or even a singer. Overwhelmed with this development Tessa froze in her current position, her finger hovering over the playlist select screen of her mobile. After a few seconds she pulled herself together again and started searching for a Queen song.

“So you can talk. That's interesting, because I was about to ask you to open your mouth – I was certain, that they have cut out your tongue. But it seems, that you have ignored me on purpose. I can respect that... who would want to talk to me anyway? Oh and I'm afraid, I can't fulfil your wish. Queen is not my type of music, so I don't have songs of them on my mobile.”

She turned around and looked apologetic at him. He surprised her even further, when he greeted her with a grin, so broad, that she could see his shining white teeth. The cuts around his lips were bleeding again, the blood slowly running along his cheeks and into his mouth – it made him seem like a wild beast after his meal.  
“Your other mobile... the one your puppet master gave to you. I'm sooooo certain, that there will be songs for me on there.” He burst into laughter and slightly tilted his head, now with glowing fire in his eyes.

“Oh, how fun it must be to pull on your strings and make you dance. I almost envy Mycroft for this toy... Maybe he'll trade you for bits of information...”  
Captivated by his look, Tessa could only stand still and watch in horror as he slowly, almost appreciatively licked his own blood from his lips. With shivering hands she pulled out the other mobile, the one Mycroft gave her, and opened the music player. And indeed, there were five songs on the phone, all of them from Queen. She randomly clicked on one of them and music filled the small room. Now she had time to breath.

“_He knows Mycroft Holmes... why am I not surprised about this? And he sees me as a plaything, a toy, Mycroft is just throwing at his feet to pleasure him! I have to admit, that I was naïve, but I'm still an independent woman.”  
_She let out a little sigh and continued her preparations, pushing a thread through the end of the needle.  
_“This whole situation is confusing me, I was not trained to deal with criminals. And he definitely is dangerous. I won't see him again, I won't come here again, I'll finish this and then I'll talk to Mr. Holmes and be gone for good.”_  
Tessa repeated the last few sentences in her mind again and again, praying it like a mantra: her protection against the last few minutes in this nightmare.

“She's a killer queen, gunpowder, gelatine, dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind...”  
His dark voice singing to the music interrupted her thinking. It sounded beautiful, her first idea of him being a good singer proved to be right. Bracing one last time, she turned around yet again, with the syringe and the needle ready in her hands.

“I want to...” Her voice was trembling.  
“Your lips have to be sewn, so I will make a local anaesthetic first and then begin. I will be gentle, promised, but please be cooperative and stay still.”

When she gave him the injection, he didn't move a muscle and encouraged by that, she slowly and carefully disinfected and sew the injury. She finished with cutting the thread and was about to retreat, when he suddenly took her wrist between his teeth. His eyes were now an inferno of lust and were completely focused an her. He playfully bit her, leaving a row of small, red marks in her white skin before letting her go. Again his tongue lasciviously licked around his lips, now tracing the new, fine seam.

“I like your taste... but what interests me more is the taste of your nectar...”  
And his eyes wandered around her body and landed on her thighs. “I'm sure you taste wonderfully sweet, little virgin...”  
Blushing, Tessa stumbled backwards and hastily packed the instruments back into the case. What was that supposed to mean? Was he sexual harassing her now?  
He was “'healed” for the moment, so she was allowed to leave. After picking up both of her mobiles and stopping the music, she went to huge door and knocked three times. His future wasn't her responsibility.

“Awww you're leaving already?”  
His voice had a mocking tone, but under that, Tessa was sure to hear well hidden bitterness.  
“But I'm sure you'll come back. You're caught in the spider's web of Mycroft Holmes and the only thing getting you out of there is death. And I don't plan on killing you...soon. Until next time, Tessa.”

His crazy laughter followed her all the way to the elevator and still rang in her ears as she sat in the car, driving her home.


	4. His new favorite toy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After escaping from that prison cell, Theresa wants nothing more than to contact her boss and tell him straight on, that their contract is canceled. Period. Also some sleep and relaxation would be nice.  
Well looks like fate and a special visitor have decided that she won't get either of those things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, guys! I am so sorry for not updating this sooner, but as promised, I haven't forgotten about it completely. I will try to get my schedule straight and deliver this to you all sooner, cause you all deserve nothing else! I hope you enjoy, what I can give to you this time <3

With these horrible impressions still fresh in her mind, Tessa pulled out her mobile as soon as the car started moving through the pitch black night. She could never do that again, she had to talk to Holmes and end that damned contract. She would also confront him with the violation of human rights, that was happening right under his nose! And the frightening possibility, that he not only knew about the torturing, but was responsible for it... she would give him the benefit of the doubt, until he had admitted it.  
So with shivering hands, partly from her excitement, partly from the cold, she clicked on his number and waited. Silence. Then a ringing tone greeted her, but it would remain her only answer. It seemed like the politician didn't deem her worthy of his attention that night. The doctor's nails scratched over the display before she sank them deeply into her wrists soft, white flesh – the sharp pain brought much needed clearance to her mind, momentarily distracting her from the nightmare, she trapped in right now.

The look of savagery in those dark eyes would undoubtedly haunt her not only tonight, but the next few days. And Tessa had to be honest with herself – the way that man had talked with her had not only scared her, but also had reached a dark and twisted, hidden desire deep within her. Absent-mindedly, her fingers traced around the small, red hollows her nails had left - right here his teeth had grabbed her wrist, embedding his own, fleeting marks into her.

Shaking her head, she scolded herself mentally while climbing out of the now stopped car.  
_“I have to stop thinking like that – I am behaving like a really needy virgin. It is not desirable to be treated like a plaything by a powerful ice cube nor is it sexy to be harassed by a supposed serious offender. I have to get over that stupid obsession. And since both of them seem to be highly intelligent, my stupid reactions will not go past their notice, leading to them pushing me around even more!”_

She hastily rushed past the driver and towards her apartment building, rummaging through her pockets for her keys. A smile crept onto the woman's lips, as she made a decision, despite everything that had happened up until now.

“_I will not let that happen! While it's true that I was careless in my desperation, I won't let them rule over my existence. I have fought through so much shit alone already...”  
_Continuously repeating words of encouragement in her mind, the young doctor slowly wound down and started to relax – the familiar, dirty staircase leading up to her home was so unlike the pristine, sterile prison complex, Theresa was delighted about its ugliness for the first time. But it seemed as if the merciless hand of fate had decided, that she had not yet suffered enough in the span of 24 hours...  
  
When Tessa finally reached her floor, she was shocked to discover her apartment door unlocked and slightly open, light shimmering through the chink. Pondering, if she had merely forgotten to switch of the lights and lock the door, when she had left in a hurry earlier, she pressed herself against the wall next to the entrance – better safe than sorry – and gently tapped the wooden surface with her foot. The squeaking sound resulting from the thus caused movement made the young woman jump. Still, she did not hesitate a second and using the swinging door as cover, Theresa spun around and jolted inside her apartment. The shadow of a big, muscular man all dressed in black, who had taken guard position near the entrance, greeted her – he had obviously been surprised by the opening door and was now even more taken aback by the whirlwind of a woman rushing towards him.  
She did not give him time to recover, how dare he break into her apartment – adrenaline made her brave (and unreasonable), but after a day like that she had had enough of feeling weak. 

There had been self-defence courses for female students at university and looking at the neighbourhood she had ended up in after her downfall, Theresa had congratulated herself for not only taking it once, but twice on a multitude of occasions. This right here was one of them.

If this had been one of the usual, sad neighbourhood drug addicts, sneaking into a near apartment trying to gather enough valuables to satisfy his dealer, the young doctor would have been fine – her knee thrust violently upwards into soft testicles, her elbow connected with the right ribcage, resulting in a satisfying “humph” coming from her enemy. A normal burglar would have been rendered useless on the spot and Tessa would have been able to call the police.  
The man she was facing, however, was a professional – thief, killer, bodyguard – and recovered in mere seconds. Faster than she could blink, one of his arms had sneaked around her thin waist, her body being jerked around violently and she instantly found herself held tight against a broad, muscular chest. His other arm pressed against her throat, lose enough so she could breath and talk, but Tessa was not stupid – one small change in his grip and he would snap her neck with the flip of his wrist. She was done for.

Theresa blinked slowly, the rush of adrenaline slowly coming to an end, dwelling tears blurring her vision. The knot of despair inside her bloomed and she could feel her heartbeat race inside her throat. Only then did she realise that her attacker had purposefully turned her around, to show her the surprisingly undisturbed insides of her flat – and the familiar man, relaxing in HER reading armchair!

“_How dare he intrude into my home! Just because of his government position, does he think he's above any law?! Who do you think you are ?!”_

“Who do you think you are?!”  
She shouted her thought out the exact same moment it crossed her mind. Hot anger flushed through her and the woman began struggling in the tight grip once more. It only hurt her and took her breath away, but she didn't care any more: something deep inside the otherwise gentle soul had finally cracked under the weight of the day and its revelations. Seeing the immaculately dressed, slender figure of Mycroft Holmes, making his home in HER living space had given her the rest.

The statesman let out a deep sigh and looked up from his well manicured hands, twirling his beloved umbrella next to him. As soon as his dark, promising eyes locked with hers once more, Theresa stopped wiggling. There was just something in those deep spheres, that spoke of untold mysteries – it never failed to take her breath away. Much more prominent right now was however the condescending look in his features. He even sounded disappointed, when he spoke up.

“My, good evening to you too, Miss Scott. I honestly didn't think you had it in you, storming in and attacking my bodyguard, but as usual, I'm reminded to trust the numbers. Given your portfolio and your psychological profile, the likelihood of you taking the sane approach and simply calling the police was only 35%. I've still taken it upon me to block your reception. Apparently a waste of effort and resources”

Tessa took a few deep breaths in, fighting the urge to claw his eyes out.

“_I need to calm myself or I'll fall right into his trap. He knew I'd be shaken after first seeing my patient, he knew I'd want to talk to him, so he chose to come her personally. It gives him more control over me, it lets him show the extents of his power. In the end, that is all this is – a power play on his part.”_

With a more controlled voice, Theresa brushed his statement aside and fully opened up their verbal fight for control.

“_In that case, I just have to play the few cards I have and fight back as best as I can.”_

“This here is my apartment – I am paying rent for it, I am not due for a payment nor are you the owner of this flat or the building it is in.”  
The “to my knowledge” briefly hang in the air, but she pressed onwards. It was important not to lose momentum.  
“You not only broke into my private space, you also have the audacity to talk down to me after one of your minions attacked me – not to mention your secret prison I just came from, filled to the brim with violations of human rights.”

Mycroft seemed unimpressed by her statement, but there was indeed a change to his posture: He pushed his chin forward as if he wanted to meet her words head on and the way he rearranged his feet indicated, that he planed on getting up soon.

“Is that it, Miss Scott? Will you threaten to speak out to the general public next? For what benefit, exactly?”  
Now he rose, his slender, elegant figure a sharp contrast to her chaotic living room and with two large steps, he closed the distance between them.

“I am not here to harm you, Miss Scott and I apologise for the behaviour of my employee. He has merely acted along the guidelines of his job, to protect me.”

A quick flick of the Holmes's right hand and the arms around her were removed almost gently, the bodyguard moving up into the corner of the room again. Tessa, meanwhile, tried to maintain proper distance to him – she did not trust herself with him being this close to her, not after her reoccurring dreams.

“Of course, you have a lot of questions and concerns after what you've seen, that is only natural. I am here to clear those up – and given how positively Moriarty has reacted towards you in your first session, I felt like you deserved my complete attention.”

By now, he had pushed her against the wooden door. Not physically, there was still plenty of room between them, but with his aura and charisma alone. He wielded them like weapons, just two more things in his arsenal. The way he articulated “complete attention” alone made her shiver and he would never miss something as obvious as that.  
His eyes roamed over her body, lingering, making the gaze feel more like a caress than an analysis. Tessa's voice sounded husky when she hissed her next words; oh the multitude of emotions this man made her feel in such a short time, it was exhilarating.

“I want to quit the contract immediately. I don't want to go back there, I won't help you torture people. I have made a vow and I'd rather eat dirt and live on the street than make my living off of betraying it.”

This provoked a chuckle from Mycroft, a low, rumbling sound arising from his chest and for once, it didn't sound mocking.  
He took another step forward, bringing his umbrella up with a swing and softly, the golden tip touched the vulnerable underside of her chin. The young doctor froze solid, not daring to move a single muscle. Slowly, the governor pushed the tip upwards, causing Theresa to lift her head – lead like this, unable to evade the pressure, their eyes met once more. This time, it wasn't just briefly though, he seemed intent on swallowing her whole just by looking at her.

“_His breath on my neck, the velvet of his tie around my wrists, his lips nibbling at my ear, his tongue swirling around the crowns of my breasts, his breathless moan released inside my mouth...”_

The light green shimmer of her eyes grew darker with the desire, she wasn't strong enough to fight against right now. There was nothing in his gaze to hint at him feeling remotely the same, anything at all actually, but her thoughts went rampant nonetheless.

“So fierce and wild, yet so gentle and lost at the same time... you love the danger, Miss Scott, a tendency, that can get you killed quickly and unpleasantly in this world. Your profile shows a rather peculiar taste of men: abuser, brutes and bad boys – the thrill gets to you...”

He leaned forward, getting even closer to her than before. The umbrella tip now painfully pressed against her trachea, but if that was the price to pay for getting near him, Tessa would gladly pay it. His research was spot on – she had had a multitude of boyfriends and dates during college and university, but she had discarded all of them quickly. The sense of danger surrounding them had initially drawn her in, but she didn't want to be beaten up – she was against any form of violence in general – in the end, she was like any girl, longing for safety. She merely needed an extra something to get her interested in the first place...

“And now you think I'd let you off the hook so easily? You haven't even read all the clauses included in the contract...”

“_Now he will use me being distracted by him being this close and threaten me again. How nobody will believe me, that he controls everything. I think, I start to understand you, Mr. Holm...”_

“But I think you're right, Miss Scott, it would be to cruel to keep you in a contract, you don't want to fulfil.”

With that he backed up, taking his umbrella away from her throat, putting it on the ground in front of him instead. It supported his weight easily as he leaned onto it, entering a more relaxes pose.  
Surprised, Theresa blinked.

“P...Pardon?”

“_That's Mycroft Holmes for you – always doing the unexpected to startle and then overwhelm you.”_

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, the blackness of his eyes glistening with something. Mischief, perhaps?

“Yes, I should not bind you. Simply pay the one instalment you have earned tonight and set you free...”

She could not believe it – had it been that simple? He didn't even want her to sign something else to guarantee her silence?  
_“Maybe there is something akin to a human heart beating in that chest of his...”_

“... but then I don't think I will put in the effort to find another doctor for him. After all, I already went to great lengths finding him the most suitable one the first time around. But if she decides to leave, I'd reckon there's nothing one can do about that. I will simply have to order my men to torture him more slowly, intricately and hope he doesn't rot away before I get the information I need.”

His face was a stoic mask, his voice as neutral and bored as if he was talking about the weather forecast – even his eyes were frozen lakes. Mycroft Holmes was simply stating facts, the plans he would set in motion, when she really decided to leave. He didn't care either way, both lead to his goal in the end.

“_That...that...”_

“You monster!”

The weight of the other man's fate threatened to crush Theresa. She didn't even know him, know his story, his crimes, what he had done to deserve any of that. But right now, she held his life in her hands: Leave to preserve her fragile morality and sentence him to a slow, agonizing death – or stay and treat him after each torture session, trying to ease his pain in hopes of him getting out some day, while working against everything she stood for.  
For her, there was only one possible answer and they both knew this. Mycroft had known that from the start, he had merely waited for her to come to the same conclusion. He read from her eyes, that she had finally caught up with him.

Signalling his bodyguard to go on ahead, the statesman straightened, running his hands over his suit once. The bodyguard walked towards the door with Tessa hastily stumbling to the side to open up the passage. She'd liked to have him out of her apartment sooner rather than later.

“Yes, Miss Scott, people like to call me that.”  
Another smile flashed by, this one an intoxicating mixture of pride and sadness.  
“I prefer the term tactician... Any way, I am delighted to see that we have reached a suitable agreement. Expect your first payment on your bank account tomorrow morning and any future instructions on your mobile phone. Good night, Miss Scott.”

With that, Mycroft Holmes strode past her, his umbrella making soft noises on the carpet, that grew louder, when it met the cold concrete of the hallway instead. He even was polite enough to close the door behind him.

Theresa slowly slid down the corridor wall, her knees finally giving in under her. She sank down into her self, burring her face in her hands and then, the first sob escaped her, violently shaking her entire body. Another one, then another one followed and with the dam broken, Tessa just let go and cried her eyes out, her sobs echoing in her empty apartment.

Just what had she gotten herself into...


	5. Preparation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, Theresa collects herself after that horrible day and over time, starts to formulate a battle plan to strike back. There was money to spend and things to buy - but the events had left a dent in her self esteem and nightmares haunt her dreams...

On the same night, day zero after the incident so to speak, Tessa's skin had turned an aggressive pink, revolting against the harsh treatment it was receiving. Annoyed, Theresa smashed the sponge against the shower wall – this was the fifth shower she had taken in a row, the sun was already slowly illuminating the grey sky, but she still felt filthy. It didn't matter how hard she scrubbed or how much soap she soaked herself with: the feeling wouldn't vanish. Finally capitulating, the young woman climbed out of her rather spacious shower and fished for a few towels. She was beyond exhaustion, but was too scared to go to bed. Nightmares would undoubtedly await her, even worse ones than before and she'd rather fall unconscious on the spot than have a sexy dream about that monster Holmes right now.  
Looking into the bathroom mirror, the picture of a very tired, very sad woman greeted her: Swollen, red eyes with shadows under them, darker and deeper than the Grand Canyon, wild, uncontrolled hair, a purple bruise beginning to form a collar around her neck – she looked absolutely devastated.

“_And I deserve every last bit of it... Ma was right, greed is the downfall of society and now it has become mine.”_

Tearing herself away from her depressive reflection, Tessa wandered into her living room, drying her wild mane with one of the towels. The silence, now so prominent in her apartment, where his voice had been not long ago, echoed in her mind. Slowly, it became unbearable and Tessa thanked the heavens, when a soft ringing noise came from her every day mobile. Picking it up from the sofa table and unlocking it with a quick swipe, a simple notification from her bank blinked in front of her:

“Transfer received”  
and beneath that the promised, ludicrously high number. Her first paycheck... The zeros danced before her eyes, mocking her.

“Stupid blood money”, Theresa hissed, biting down on her bottom lip until the welcome taste of iron filled her mouth. Her mobile only barely survived her following outburst.

*

She held out till the afternoon of the first day after the incident. Tessa didn't need her medical degree to know, that forcing herself to stay up for that long was irresponsible and dangerous. She did it anyway. So after using the last sliver of her power to push the armchair back where it belonged and cleaning up the chaos in the kitchen, Theresa made one crucial mistake: she sat down on the sofa for a brief pause. There she lay, promptly fallen into a comatose sleep , clutching onto one of the cushions for dear life. Luckily, her sleep was deep enough to block out all dreams.

*

After day two, her apartment was back in complete, pristine condition. It had been one of the nicer ones in the neighbourhood to begin with, only made more valuable by a complete renovation before she had moved in. Now it stood out from the rest of the building like a sore thumb.  
The transition from dirty, old concrete hallways into a friendly, open living room filled with soft carpets and pictures alone startled most visitors. Not that she had many of those...

A nice small kitchen with flowers on the windowsill, a table to comfortably eat at, a separate bedroom with an attached, small balcony, the added luxury of a bathtub and filled bookshelves everywhere – what more could a woman want?  
Except that she was nor paying for that luxury not through honest work, helping others, but through torture. It slowly drove Tessa insane, not matter what she did, the dark twisted knot of guilt wouldn't go away. The thought of going back there alone gave her chills. Desperate for a way to numb out all thinking, the young doctor turned on the music, anything except Queen, and proceeded to sing as loud and as false as possible. Anyone who wanted to complain, should just come at her – luckily for them, no neighbour came around to get yelled at.

*

On the third day, she had officially run out of trivial matters to distract herself with. No running away any more, it was time to face it: She was stuck in this predicament for good. Three cups of strong ass coffee later, Tessa sat on her bed, cuddling the blanket her Mom had stitched for her and stared into the void, thinking.

“_I have to accept it, I will not come out of this contract. All that's left for me to do, is to fulfil it. I'd still like to believe, that Mr. Holmes has a good reason for his actions, like saving all of England, but he's on the wrong path achieving it. Maybe I can get through that complete Antarctica around his heart and make him realise that. But that's a long term goal. For now, I have to formulate a plan, for when I receive the inevitable call back to duty. Me having an endless guilt trip won't help me nor my patient.”_

A smile formed on her lips – yeah, tomorrow she would download some music and go spend some bloody money...

That night, Theresa couldn't escape the dreams any longer. She had been curling up in a fortress of cushions, eyes looking into the darkness unfocused, feeling the soft blanket under her fingertips – and in the next moment, her skin was gliding over dark, polished wood. Hushed murmuring had replaced the loneliness of her breathing and looking around, Tessa was shocked to discover, that she knew the place. Her subconscious had led her back into the local courtroom, but this time, she was not sitting next to the prosecutor's bench. Years ago, from there she had stared down on to the man, who had robbed her of her parents in his drunkenness – this time, she was the one being stared at, helplessly trapped at the defendant's chair. Thousand eyes burned holes into her and the young woman only barely fought the urge to cower down and hide.

“_What is this? Am I being... sentenced?”_

Turning around, desperately searching for a familiar, friendly face, Tessa's gaze wandered over the presiding jury: all of them familiar faces, indeed, but distorted by looks of pure disgust. The young boy, who had lived opposite her practice and had always brought over his sick granny; the prostitute, who had confided in her, telling Theresa about all of her abusive customers; the old man with his niece, who had loved the plasters with the cartoon motives so much – the very same, Tessa had so carelessly offered her new patient.  
Every sense of trust was gone, replaced with nothing but hatred, their eyes aflame with righteous anger. Just when Theresa was about to speak up, to ask them what was going on, another voice chimed in and took over.

“Court is now in session for the trial of Theresa Scott. The defendant is being accused of breaking the doctor's sacred oath, torture and high treason.”

Her head snapped around, easily focusing on the voice's source. There he sat, in all his god forsaken glory: of course her subconscious had deemed him the head of court, his eyes and voice was always so quick to judge her. Dark, liquid chocolate over velvet, cold steel wrapped in silk... it took Theresa a few seconds to proceed, what Mycroft had just said, he captivated her anew each time. For a brief moment, all she saw was furious red.

“What?! No, how dare you! I'm innocent, I was forced to do it... you forced me to go there... and all I did was help the people, you've condemned to torture! Mycroft Holmes, you bloody bastard...”

The gravel was heavy in his hands as it crashed down onto the wood, the thunderous sound demanding obedience. It shut her up, right before she could let out her anger and a flow of not at all ladylike insults.

“I will now give the word to the prosecution. Please, state your accusations.”

Confused, Theresa stared at the empty bank opposite of her.

“_There's a prosecutor? Who would... oh...oh, no!”_

Out from a hallway to the side of the courtroom marched the crown prosecutor – well, his movement was more akin to limping, apparently someone had cut his left foot right off. Her patient, Moriarty, looked horrible, more like a living corpse than human. He was as white as the wall behind him, making the bloody red speckles on his skin and dress shirt shine even more – blood was everywhere on him, soaking through the expensive fabric. It leaked from his open leg onto the ground, smearing on the wooden parquet as he stepped into it with his healthy foot; it glistened in his black hair, dripping over his right cheek from the black hole, where once his ear had been; another stream emanated from his now empty eye socket, flowed over his lips and painted his teeth a dark shade of crimson.  
Seeing him like that took Tessa's breath away and suddenly, despite her medical career, she felt sick. When he focused at her, his dead gaze lingering, one of his black, wonderful eyes lost forever, her heart skipped another beat. Every one of his injuries had been carried out by a professional, to clinical perfection and knowing, that someone used their skills to do that rather than help people, made Theresa gag.

“Why...why did they do this to you?! I shouldn't be the one on trial – this man up there...”

Her voice was husky and shivered and she was about to point at Mycroft Holmes, sitting enthroned above them all, when she was interrupted.

“I will have silence.”

Moriarty had reached his seat, still holding his head high and when he spoke, he did so with even more authority behind his words than Mycroft. His words were quietly hissed, deadly weapons, slicing away at her heart.

“It was not Mr. Holmes, who has done this to me.”

Drip. Drip. Drip. Splash. Splash. Splash.  
Blood splattered onto his desk with every one of his words – her patient didn't seem to care, he only lazily licked around his mouth once, coating his tongue and teeth in the same crimson.

“It was you, Theresa Scott.”

The murmuring grew louder, shouts like “Hang that whore” mixed in between. Tessa could just stare at Moriarty, the sight of him so gruesome, she wanted to look away but somehow couldn't.

“I...I didn't want...that...you got it all wrong, I just...”

Now, he growled like a wounded beast, before continuing his accusations.

“Without your stitches or bandages I would have bled out long ago. You have unnecessarily prolonged my suffering, refusing me the sweet embrace of death.”  
His remaining eye visibly lit up with craziness, a grin spreading his mouth wide, clearly showing off all his stained teeth.

“PEOPLE DIE, THERESA: THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO! BUT YOU, YOU WOULDN'T LET ME DIE!!!”

It seemed as if her patient was about to climb over the wooden barrier between them and snap her neck right then and there. The crazy screams of the excited jury spurred him on, like bloodhounds leading him onto her trails. Frozen in place, Tessa could see the strong muscles working under his skin, preparing for the assault, when another gravel strike and Holmes's voice rose clearly over the ensuing chaos.

“I have heard enough. I hereby sentence you, Theresa Scott, to an excruciatingly slow and painful death. The sentence is to be carried out immediately through the prosecution. Court is adjourned.”

Just when the gravel hit the bench again, Moriarty leapt at her, impossibly nimble despite his injuries. He was over her in the blink of an eye, his sharp nails started digging into her throat, when Theresa woke up.

Heavy breathing filled the dark, otherwise silent apartment and with her heart racing in her throat, the young woman felt like she was about to throw up. Shaking, hasty fingers sneaked up to the nightstand, fumbling for the switch and only when the soft, warm light of the bedside lamp cascaded over the bedroom, Tessa felt able to settle down. Her sheets were ruffled, all cushions spread over the carpet and her nightgown was soaked in sweat.  
Slinging her arms around her middle, slowly rocking herself back and forth, Theresa tried to calm herself.

“_This is not going to happen, it was just a bad dream. Mr. Holmes is to clever to be discovered or, more likely, the important superiors know of his doing and approve of it. If he even has superiors.  
I'm not disposable, he has made this very clear through his personal visit. He will not betray me. He looks like a man of honour – mislead, yes, but still trustworthy. I will not end up in court or dead or worse.”_

She stared outside her balcony window, until the first rays of sunlight painted the horizon the colour of peaches. For the first time, the diplomat's seemingly unlimited power had not felt threatening, but calming.

*

On the fourth day, Theresa scared away the demons of the night by doing something, every woman liked: spending absurd amounts of money. First, she transferred the next four rents onto her landlord's bank account, getting back on his good side. Next was a much needed overhaul of her wardrobe: out with the old stuff (she packed it in boxes and deposited it in front of the building, so that the poor could take, what they needed) and in with the new. With mixed feelings, she even ordered a new set of white doctor's coats. A new laptop for work, the newest romance novels by her favourite author and three Queen albums later, Tessa was content. Another quick check on the numbers revealed, that she still very much golden and given two or three more payment like this, she could think about renting a new practice.

Speaking of payment, it was time to formulate a “battle plan”. Armed with a piece of paper, a marker and some fresh pancakes, the young doctor proceeded to write down everything she could think of, that would improve her patients time. After a few minutes of brainstorming, her number one step was clear: conversation.  
She needed to get to know her patient – not his supposed crimes, rather she wanted to know more about the man behind the “monster”. Only then could she really help him. They would talk about trivial, everyday stuff, his general likes and dislikes and she would see, what was in the realm of her possibilities.

“_Mycroft Holmes should thank me in the end. A happy prisoner surely would much rather talk than a blemished, unhappy one...”_

This night, Tessa intentionally kept the bedside lamp on, its light providing a much needed barrier against the shadows. Her sleep was deep and peaceful.

*

On the morning of the fifth day, her cellphone rang. Not her normal one, but her dreaded work phone. To be honest, Theresa had expected a move soon, so she had placed it right next to her bowl of cornflakes. That the message came in the morning and not during the night time, however, made her frown – this Holmes must be rather sure about his power, sending his conspicuous car into these parts of town in bright daylight. Dropping her spoon into the milk with a soft splash, Tessa reached for the phone, entered the complicated high security password and unlocked it.

One new message:

“You'll be collected in one hour. Be ready. M.H.”

After sulking at the screen for a few seconds, Theresa broke out into giggles.

“My, my, Mr. Holmes... always soooo serious...”.

She carried the bowl into the kitchen, depositing it in the sink and made her way towards the bathroom. One hour? She could manage that.  
Standing under the shower, letting the warm droplets of water cascade over her naked body, Theresa couldn't help but break out into song. Something about singing, even if she wasn't talented, helped elevate the burden from her heart – and surprisingly, there were a fare amount of songs fitting for her situation.

“He's magic and myth  
As strong as what I believe  
A tragedy with  
More damage than a soul should see  
and do I try to change him  
So hard not to blame him  
Hold on tight, hold on tight

Oh, cuz I don't know  
I don't know what he's after  
But he's so beautiful  
Such a beautiful disaster  
And if I could hold on  
Through the tears and the laughter  
Would it be beautiful?  
Or just a beautiful disaster?”*1

Tessa dried her hair and while she put on some discreet make-up, just enough to hide the shadows under her eyes, she pondered whether she had sung those lines with Moriarty or Holmes in mind. She decided, it did not matter – it fit both of them equally well. Theresa stuffed both of her mobiles into her purse, put on her coat and then, on time, headed out.

The drive to the precinct was very much the same as last time - she couldn't even tell if the driver was the same, with him wearing an all black uniform again. At first, Theresa tried to get a better idea about where they were headed, but soon gave up. The route they were driving was confusing on purpose, she noticed them driving around the same roundabout four times in quick succession. Chatting with the driver also didn't seem like a viable idea, so Tessa spend her time sorting out songs into a fitting playlist, naming it “Healthcare” once finished.

Check-up at the prison went smoothly, by now they already had all her necessary biometric data – the whole underground complex was hiding behind the facade of an old factory, Tessa found it quite uninventive seeing it clearly now during the day. But she supposed it worked.  
Soon, she found herself in front of the big, locked door once more, the guards to her side working to open it. They had given her a look of surprise, when she had stepped out of the main elevator, as if they had betted on her not surviving the first time. Fools.

One last check of her hair, neatly tied up into a professional bun. One quick swipe over her coat, smoothing out the last creases.

“_I have a battle plan and I will use it. This will be a successful visit, for both his mental and physical health. I can do this.”_

With her head held high, Theresa stepped into the lion's den once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
Soooo, it looks like I kept my promise and updated sooner. Want to hear even better news? The next update will come next Friday and it'll be a long one, full of Moriarty's galore!  
Are you excited? ;)
> 
> *1 credit goes to Kelly Clarkson, "Beautiful disaster"  
(I prefer the live version with the piano)


	6. Trivial matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The days of preparation and winding down lay behind her and armed with a "plan", Theresa heads into battle once more. Will she succeed and get to know the man behind the beast or will she be devoured by black eyes, spilling her own secrets instead?

The heavy door snapped back into its place with a hefty bang, but this time, Tessa didn't feel as nervous as last time. She truly felt prepared for this.  
Nothing in the room had changed, the doctor's case was waiting for her on the very same table, closed and ready, and in the middle of the room sat her patient. Putting a smile on her face, not completely ingenuine, the young woman made her way around to face him.  
From the few glances, she gave him on the way, two things immediately became apparent: first, he wasn't nearly as hurt as her dream had simulated and once she had realised that, a big burden fell from her shoulders;  
second, whoever had “worked” on him this time, had taken his time – Moriarty's last wounds had been professional, these ones had been made with enjoyment. Still clean, still not live threatening, but set to induce the most amount of pain with the least amount of permanent damage.

“_Disgusting... I don't want to know, where Mr. Holmes has picked up the sadistic psychopath responsible for this. Probably a criminal, who had sat here himself beforehand, but gotten out by promising to be “useful”. I should work quickly.”_

Theresa put her bag down next to the case and quickly opened. Skilled fingers found the necessary syringe, preparing a strong pain killer in an instance – elevating his pain had top priority. This time, she didn't hesitate in touching him, Tessa thought it would be in his best interest to get this done quickly. She acknowledged his shining smile nonetheless. The needle entered the soft crook of his right arm, when he spoke up. His voice was soft as velvet, a deep purring.

“My, good morning, Theresa. I like women, who don't hesitate and get right down to business. I am not up to date on the whole women's right movement, but isn't it normally my job to enter a needle into you?”

He chuckled at her blushing and when she looked up from his creamy skin, Tessa saw him suggestively wiggle his eyebrows at her. She managed to stare at him angrily for about five seconds, before she broke out into laughter with him – it had just looked way to silly. Already in those first minutes, the atmosphere in the room had transformed into something new, exciting and yet relaxing all the same.

Her eyes lit up with amusement, she turned back around and rummaged through her arsenal. Soon, a large pile of bandages, plasters, ointments and creams stacked up on the table next to her – she would first deal with the smaller issues again.

“Good morning to you too, Mr. Moriarty. I am here to help you.”

Another chuckle was her answer and for a second, Tessa thought that she could get used to that melodic sound. She hastily chased that thought from her mind.

“I know, Theresa.”  
He paused for a bit and when he spoke up again, she could hear the frown in his baritone.  
“I shouldn't call you that. I am sure Mycroft is calling you Theresa, with that stick he has up his arse, he is way to boring for nicknames... I will call you Tessa instead. I have called you that before, remember? And then you ran away...”.

Taking the first bunch of medical supplies, Theresa turned around – she planned on starting at his hands, they had done awful things to his fingers. There had been indeed a frown on his face, but it smoothed out as soon as she turned around. He tilted his head, fixating her with his dark eyes.

“Did you not like it?”

The space to work on his hands was tight, the metal machetes clamping down his wrists sat tightly – beneath them, Tessa saw his raw, sore skin. Having no way of reaching that really sucked. She started with his right hand, carefully applying an ointment on each fingertip, where they had ripped out his fingernails, before wrapping bandages around them. He would feel that for weeks.

“_Keep up the conversation, Theresa! He wants to talk to you, a fact that should make your job that much easier – you wanted to get to know him to help him better, now is your chance.”_

“Oh... I am... Mycr-, I mean Mr. Holmes doesn't call me by my first name and Tessa is fine, I suppose. Friends during college called me that, but that's a really long time ago...”

Sadness crept into her voice as she thought of supporters long gone, of false promises and wasted opportunities.

Moriarty seemed surprised by her statement, one eyebrow rising in doubt. Then, he presented her another, full blown smile as if to lift her spirits – to others it might have looked dangerous or threatening, but Tessa could see, that it reached his eyes for once.

“He's even more of a pussy than I thought possible. Having such a wonderful opportunity and to not use it – what a waste.”

Working through his right hand with the security of long training, Theresa soon turned to his left palm. Surprisingly, it had been left completely untouched.

“Ah, yes, that bastard Mario has only worked through my right hand. They think I am right handed, so they though it would hurt me more.”

Moriarty merely shrugged. He didn't seem to care about his injuries or the pain at all, another very desirable quality.

“_I am sure the world has taught him that the hard way – just how it does to all of us. We could have more in common than I first thought... but regarding him being tortured here, is that really a good thing?”_

She inspected his left fingers thoroughly nonetheless and almost shrieked, when his hand slowly curled around hers, gently brushing over her palm.

“Don't you worry about my hands, sweetie. These dilettantes know nothing about me, really.”

The criminal leaned forward, his hot breath hitting her earlobe – Tessa had been bowing down to inspect his hands more closely – and a shower rushed through her, leaving tingling sensations behind everywhere. He whispered to her as if he was letting her in on a well kept secret.

“I am actually bi-dexterous. So don't you worry, songbird – I am still very much able to do magic with my fingers.”

Tessa watched him retreat slowly, lingering in front of her face a bit to inhale her scent... then he sat fully upright again, winking suggestively at her. She could feel her heart skip a beat. Ashamed, the young doctor turned around to the table.

“_God, he really is dead set on flirting with me...”_

When she was rummaging through the case to fetch the necessary supplies for his feet, her gaze fell upon her mobile, slightly sticking out from her bag.

“_Yes, let's surprise him with the new albums, I've bought for him. It should make clear to him, that I intend to treat him well and only have his best in mind.”_

A few seconds later, Tessa had tapped into the prepared playlist, starting off with “Under pressure” - a seemingly fitting choice.

Armed with new bandages, Theresa kneeled down onto the cold floor in front of him, pushing away all thoughts of her being at the same height as his crotch. Attentively, she started taking care of the first nasty cuts and removed nails.  
Moriarty was happily humming along to the melody and deep down, Tessa was hoping to hear him sing again – from what she had gathered, he was really talented. Right now, he seemed completely engrossed in the music, at peace even. It was fascinating to watch him like that, far away in his own little world and Theresa stopped working for a bit to do just that: watch him. His eyes were closed, a few black strains of hair got lost over them and he lazily swayed his upper body to the tunes. People tended to make fun of individuals capable of escaping into their own realities, but to Theresa, it was a sign of intelligence and creativity. Sometimes, when the world was pitch black around her, she envied them.

“Are you playing any instruments? You seem to love music an awful lot... also your singing voice is really nice.”  
His eyes flew open and suddenly, Tessa was the complete focus of his attention again. The young woman squirmed under his unrelenting gaze, her jeans under the coat scraping over the floor. Good thing it was an old piece.

“Oh, I am sorry. I didn't want to disturb your thoughts, I was just curious.”

Moriarty just smiled, it looked dead this time around, but she was sure that if his hands were free, he would have waved it off.

“No, it's fine. I do that from time to time, my thoughts just wander off into fairy land and go wild there with the fairies...Yes, I do play instruments, the violin and the piano to be precise, but they won't let me in here. Undoubtedly it's because certain individuals are jealous of my talents and not because the violin strings are perfect for strangulating people. Isn't it so, Crofty?”

The last words were yelled towards the ceiling, where undoubtedly cameras were hidden. He then paused a few seconds, listening to the silence as if waiting for an answer, before going on.

“I am happy you enjoyed my performance last time, it was different from the ones I usually give. But as I had to learn, those aren't really appreciated by the general public. Normal people are just soooo boring.”

He rolled his eyes just as the song in the background switched to “We will rock you”.

“But you, Tessa, you are not boring....right?”

Moriarty's voice was a low, dangerous whisper, that threatened to explode at any given second. Tessa just kneeled there, captivated by the fire in his brown eyes – a flame heralding destruction, full of promises... good and bad...

“You like knowing that I am dangerous, you're drawn to me like a moth is drawn towards the light.”

A tentative lick around his lips draw her in further. Her professional side, at the moment trapped at the back of her head, reminded her to later take out the strings there.

“Soon you can get down onto your knees in front of me like that again and worship your king...”

As if led by invisible threads, Theresa felt herself nod in agreement – then she noticed, that the idea of her giving pleasure to him like that wasn't repulsive at all. Lulled into the sexual tension, the doctor was not prepared for his outburst.

“But, Tessa, you do know what happens to the moth once it touches the light... IT AGONIZINGLY BURNS TO DEATH!”

Crazy laughter followed his scream, it was the first time he had really lost his composure in front of her. Shocked, Tessa had lost her balance and fallen onto her soft behind, but now she almost instantly jumped to her feet. It felt as if he had poured out a bucket full of ice water right over her head.

“But now, shouldn't you prevent me from bleeding out?”  
His voice was calm and steady again, the seductive melody weaving a net around her once more. Jittery, Theresa tried to prevent her from falling into his trap again by mentally scolding herself.

“_You stupid, stupid girl! Stop drooling at a dangerous criminal and just do your fucking job!”_

Ignoring all his sideways glances to the best of her capabilities for the next half hour, Theresa worked feverishly. She placed bandages around the rest of his toes and his upper leg (_so slim and muscular_), fabricated a clean seam along his neck (_Oh how I want to sink my teeth into this soft skin, while he makes me cry out in pleasure_) and finally, more plasters on the back of his shoulders.  
Then, Tessa was faced with a glaring problem: a deep, leaking cut started right at his collarbone and disappeared under his dress shirt. The soaked fabric stuck to the drying blood and getting it away from the still open wound would undoubtedly be a painful mess. Staring at it, the young woman thought about the best approach.

“_First, I will cut around the sticky parts, then undress him normally to get space to work with. From there, I will give him a local anaesthetic and work out the remnants with tweezers before sewing it.”  
_She gulped, reaching for a scalpel.

“Mr. Moriarty, I will have to first cut around this injury, then open up your shirt. I will be as careful as possible, but this situation has most likely been produced on purpose. Can I do something else for you, while I am working to make everything more bearable?”

Tessa slowly approached him, ready to jump back in case of another fit of rage, but her patient remained relaxed. She showed him the blade first and then, without hasty movements, began working. He would undoubtedly retain a scar from this one.

“_What does he look like under that shirt? Full of scars of won battles? Or smooth white like marble... Looks like I am in the lucky position to find out.”_

She instantly slapped herself mentally again.

“_No, it's not lucky, because that means they've hurt him there. Get your shit together, Theresa.”_

The young woman was taken aback about the sudden spike of protectiveness boiling inside her. Pushing her feelings away once more, she got really good at this, she generously cut around the affected area.

“Things you could do for me, Tessa...”  
Her patient let the sentence hang in the air between them, fanning the died down flames of desire back to life. Her panties must be soaked by now. It was a marvellous pause and he tasted it in all its glory before continuing.

“Well, for starters you could tell me more about yourself. Crofty won't tell me anything except when I feed him information back and the way he gets all worked up about his lil' brother is way to funny to tell him everything. Oh, and you could bring me some bubblegum next time.”

“I... I think it's forbidden, that I bring anything like that back in here with me.”  
Tessa lowered her voice, just like he had done before and gave him a mischievous wink.

“_What harm can a package of bubblegum do, really?”_

“I will see what I can hide in my pocket.”

Slowly, Tessa separated the two layers of fabric and reached for the first button, carefully undoing it.

“Oh... oh, you surprise me, Tessa! You're even better than I thought!”  
The serious offender looked at her with utter bliss.  
“I didn't really want bubblegum, you know, although I really enjoy the taste from time to time. I just wanted to know if you had it in you to break the rules for me and smuggle something in here.”  
He studied her features once again, with her trying her hardest to focus on the row of small buttons.

“But that's strange... I can still see loyalty in your expression, loyalty towards that Holmes brick.”

Heat rose to her cheeks and suddenly, Theresa was really happy to just open up his shirt and get on with her work. Although his now naked, well defined chest didn't make it any easier for her. Those two men saw through her way to easily.

“_I will finish this, then he's patched back up for now and I'm out of here.”_

Somehow, the thought of leaving this cell again made her happy and disappointed at the same time – what had changed?

“_In the meantime, I suppose I can tell him some trivial thing about me. What should he get out of it? It was part of my plan anyway.”_

“I want to break free” provided the rhythm for her slow and careful cleaning process, first the syringe and then the tweezers.

“You see, at first, I wanted to become a vet. I love animals, but I soon had to realise, that most animals unfortunately don't love me back. So I turned from animals to humans and I must say, working is way easier without all the fur.”  
Mind off, chat mode on – Tessa fell back into old behaviour routines.

“Now it's more than just a duty, it has become my calling. I want to help people and I hate to see them suffer... but sometimes, there's nothing I can do.”

Moriarty had listened attentively to her blabbering and Theresa didn't think her would answer her – so when he did, he startled her once more.

“Only sometimes? I'd say constant...”

“Huh? No, no that's wrong!”

The look in his face dimmed her bubbly optimism: The sadness and pain washing over it for small, uncontrolled splits of seconds reminded her of a lonely, cold night in the rain, staring numbly at a wrecked car...  
He pressed on, wanting to make a point despite or maybe because of the agony reflecting on her features.

“This world is full of suffering. And the most outrageous part is that people suffer for the most boring of reasons!”  
Something in his tone transformed, it dripped with mockery and anger – he prolonged every letter, ridiculing all statements.  
“Oh no, look at me, my husband is cheating on me... oh, no I am broke and can't pay rent... please, spare me I have kids at home..it's all so dull, a waste of potential.”

His fingers relentlessly tapped onto the metal rails of his chair, the pain caused by his blemished fingertips alone could have rendered a normal man unconscious. Moriarty didn't even blink. Tessa didn't know what to answer, she just saw that those observations seemed to agitate him a lot. Maybe she should try to brighten up his mood again. The doctor cleared her throat.

“Even if the world is full of suffering, I am still glad whenever I am able to help someone. It makes me glow inside, happy on a whole other level.”

“Been part of the Girl scouts, hm?”  
The criminal lifted an eyebrow at her. Tessa shortly imagined her younger self in the typical uniform, selling cookies at doorsteps and broke out into soft giggles. His fingers stopped drumming onto the metal.

“Oh no, haha, I would've looked stupid in those short skirts. But I like the idea behind it, giving back to the community and protecting the environment.”

“Ah yes, mother nature is gifting us a lot. The thing I like most about the wilderness is the hierarchy out there – animals don't hide behind books and statutes. It's survival of the fittest, everything boils down to “Can I eat him first?”. Riveting!”

Tessa reached behind her and after fumbling the thread through the needle, she began sewing him up again. The cut was long and had torn through several layers of skin and muscles – it would probably need about 30 stitches.

“_What should I make of this statement? I should better let it slide.”_

Despite those slip ups and outbursts, Theresa was pretty content with how things were going. They were leading a rather normal conversation, getting to know each other. And giving the circumstances, she couldn't be angry at him for having a few psychological problems, heck she would have too.

“I enjoy reading in the small park next to my apartment complex during the day. With the sun glistening through the leaves, it's quite relaxing. Do you like reading, Mr. Moriarty?”  
The music switched to “Keep yourself alive”.

“Yes, I do, but I only read for information purposes or planing. The way you look, you're in it for the juicy romantic stories?”

His burning eyes told her exactly how much he liked her blushing. Sealing the freshly stitched wound with plasters and buttoning his shirt back up, all that was left for her to do was to take out the threads around his lips.

“Yeah, I am. There's nothing, that beats a romance novel, read in bed with cookies and a hot cup of tea.”

Carefully, the young doctor began working out the seam and was gleeful to discover, that his lips had healed well. He wouldn't retain a scat from this, leaving his face untarnished. Moriarty didn't move a muscle in his face, making her job that much easier: only his eyes followed her movements closely.

“Maybe we could drink tea together some time in the future after you've gotten out of here.”  
Theresa paused, a crease building on her forehead.

“Will you ever get out of here?”

Yes, that was the question it was all boiling down to in the end.

She was currently working on his bottom lip, when his plush lips sensually closed around the tip of her ring finger, suckling it gently. Everything paused for a second, both of them just staring into each other's clouded eyes – the room was filled with sizzling tension, almost touchable.  
After one, deliberate lick, her patient retreated. Theresa felt her heart gallop, but this time, he didn't make it race out of anxiety.

She hastily retreated, not trusting her shivering hands. Luckily, Tessa had already finished, so she stood up and packed the things back into the suitcase. Another second under that man's gaze and she would explode – her panties already couldn't take any more. Out of the corner's of her eye, Tessa could make out how Moriarty licked over his lips as if he was savouring her taste. She must have tasted horribly, without a doubt, like blood and antiseptics, but he seemed to like it.

“Keep yourself alive  
Keep yourself alive  
It'll take you all your time and your money  
To keep me satisfied  
  
Do you think you're better every day?  
No, I just think I'm two steps nearer to my grave.”

So he had decided to give her the pleasure of hearing him sing after all, the text weirdly fitting the moment.

“We will see if I get out of here, sweetheart. If so, I'd like to visit you, little birdie... should I bring condoms?”

He laughed heartily at her final blush, but Tessa stopped the music mid song and grabbed her bag. She hurried over to the door, pounding against it to give the signal.

“I... I hope you're feeling better. We will see each other next time – until then, Mr. Moriarty.”

“Oh no, come back, songbird! Old Moriarty HASN'T FINISHED PLAYING WITH YOU YET!”

His voice exploded with sudden fury and Tessa was glad, when the guards led her outside, cutting his scream clear off.

She couldn't tell if her plan had succeeded or failed - if she had learned more about him or had just given away to much information about herself.  
For certain was only, that she ran away not from his craziness or anger, but from the depths of her own desire.

*

When Theresa stepped out into the bright midday sun, the dark knot of guilt twisted deep inside her stomach. It was a different kind of guilty conscience, not about supporting torture per se, but seeing the sunlight, while Moriarty stayed trapped there. Somehow, it felt even more vicious. With a deep sigh, Tessa ducked into the open car door.

Her mood brightened up significantly, when she saw the stack of packages waiting in front of her apartment door. Heaving them inside one by one and stacking them in her living room, Theresa was happy to have something to look forward to. But first, she desperately needed a shower and a fresh set of underwear.  
A refreshing hour later, Tessa grabbed a pair of scissors, pushed away all dark thoughts and wholeheartedly engaged in an unpacking frenzy. The rest of the day was spent with sorting in the new clothes and books and trying on a few of the outfits. With the weather forecast promising sunshine for tomorrow, Tessa happily made plans for going out into the park. She and her newest novel were ready.

The forecast held, what it had promised and dressing fittingly for the starting spring, Tessa put on one of her new dresses. Armed with a Thermos flask full of earl grey, the novel, a box full of cookies, her bag and a blanket, she set out. She was happy to discover, that quite a handful of families had decided to use the nice weather to visit the greenery with their kids – excited children chased a football over the grass and Theresa made sure to select a tree outside their playing field. Opening up the picnic blanket and settling down, Tessa picked up the novel and dived deep into its pages.

It was a typical “Hollywood romance” novel about a young, hard working woman wanting to become an actress, but she only got to work the requisites. As expected, she fell in love with the handsome, unapproachable film director and the two began a glamorous love affair. His foible for BDSM and total control just made things that much juicier – and Tessa loved it. Engrossed, she flew through the first few chapters and them getting to know each other, before landing on their more intimate encounters.

Theresa licked over her lips and took a sip of tea, before turning around the page. Already, she could feel the heat between her legs increase, when she started reading.

-

_It was the end of the filming, all the other's were already gone, when Nathan assaulted her. His movements were quick and precise, like always when he knew what he wanted. Clary's squeaking was muffled by his large hand and she was dragged inside the small requisite chamber. As soon as the door was kicked close behind him, he was all over her, biting, licking, kissing. It took her breath away and had her legs shivering in anticipation – this man knew how to drive her crazy. The wood behind her was cold and rough as he pressed her against it, but Clary didn't want to be merely passive. Her mouth caught his, lips almost violently crashing against each other, and her fingers started undoing his tie. When they separated, both of them were panting, but glowing with sexual energy. In a case of unusual gentleness, Nathan tugged a strain of lose hair back behind her ear and smiled down at her._

“_I wanted to do this since I've laid eyes on you this morning, Miss Prior.”_

_The distance between them was closed again as he started nibbling at her bottom lip, teasing her._

“_Those lips of yours just seem to call me...”_

_Clary felt daring, she wanted him right here and now, no matter the consequences._

“_Then take them – and take me with them.”_

-

Tessa was feeling really hot by now and more than once, she had tugged at the end of her dress. She knew the feeling of want, the author tried to describe there – she had felt it very strongly only one day ago. The untamed, overwhelming feeling of want, capable of crushing all reasonable thoughts and doubts in its wake, taking over each nerve in your body. Escaping its clutches had been difficult and honestly, Theresa wasn't sure she would get away a second time, no matter the circumstances. Not even being nice to herself three times yesterday had been able to sate her hunger and by now, the young woman was asking herself, what was wrong with her. Maybe she should go out and hunt for a one night stand soon, although she usually wasn't the type of woman to do so. Desperate times, desperate measures...

-

_His elegant fingers slowly removed his tie and with a voice, demanding complete obedience, Nathan stated: “Give me your wrists, Clary. I will bind them together and then hang them over that hook behind you. It will make you vulnerable and open – perfect for what I have planned. Do not move them!”  
He did as promised, the ties silk soft against her skin. Captivated, Clarissa watched his tongue circle his lips._

_ \- _

Moriarty had done that multiple times as well and she just couldn't look away. The thought, what that tongue could do to her was way to prominent. Right now, Theresa didn't see the benefit of mentally restraining herself: she was in the park, alone and it was in her free time. She'd better think it now than when it was inappropriate again. For now, Tessa closed the book, the images running though her own mind right now were far better than the descriptions on the page.

“_He would sit right here, next to me in the warm grass, the sun glistening in his black hair. Careful, he would look from left to right to check, if no one was watching us.”  
_She leaned back against the trunk of the tree, eyes closed, envisioning. 

“_Then, once that was assured, his slender hand would sneak up my leg, dipping under my dress in its ascent. He would leave soft, tender touches along my thighs, then he'd scrape over the rim of my panties. A soft, dark purr is hissed into my ear as he notices, how wet and needy I am...”  
_Her own fingers twitched on the blanket and it was near impossible to not let out a moan.

“_He slowly pushes aside the soaked fabric, reaching deeper...”_

Tessa was so caught up in her daydream, she nearly jumped, when her work phone let out its aggressive messaging tone. Somehow, that stupid thing had a tendency for disrupting her hot imaginations. Blinking to find her way back into reality, the doctor almost sleepily reached for her bag and unlocked the phone.

“You'll be collected in half an hour, come as you are. It's urgent.”

Theresa stared at the blinking letters – then she stood up, hastily packing all her things together. She would need twenty minutes alone to get back to the entrance of her apartment building from here and that was, when she'd run all the way. Not caring about the flask, she lost five minutes in, the woman raced towards her destination. In sync with her pounding heart, her thoughts went wild.

“_If they have hurt him so badly again, that he needs my medical attention once more in the span of not even 48 hours, Mycroft must be getting really desperate...it's urgent... just what did they do to him?!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, just as promised and it's a really, really long one! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing those two together.  
Unfortunately, I can't tell you when I'll upload the next chapter - it proofs difficult to write, with new things I haven't tried before. I hope you are patient once again, I apologize beforehand.  
The only thing left for me to say is: "Stay safe!"
> 
> *credit goes to the orignal artists


	7. Corrupt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The urgent message made Tessa think about a half-dead, bleeding Moriarty all alone in his prison cell. But what will really await here in there and why is everybody so nervous?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
I am back and terribly sorry to have kept you waiting again! Somehow I can't seem to get a schedule down. Writing this chapter had been really hard for me: it contains the first smut I have ever written, poor virgin me ;)  
I hope it turned out alright, please enjoy guys!

When Theresa reached the entrance of her apartment building, she was covered in a thin layer of sweat and her sides were stinging with pain. She hadn't run this fast in ages!  
The young doctor stopped, placing her hands on her knees, and desperately tried to catch her breath. There, parked next to the pavement, stood another one of those black government cars, waiting for her.

“_I'll have enough time to relax on the ride there, James needs me.”_

Sighing, Tessa straightened and climbed into the back of the car and with a quick signal of her hand, they were on their way. She was then so focused on regaining her composure and calming her breathing, Theresa didn't notice the driver's unusual side glances nor his nervous tapping on the stirring wheel whenever a traffic light caused them to stop. As soon as the vehicle slowed down in front of the cover building, she slammed open the door and hurried through the security check. Her eagerness did not only surprise the guards checking her, with all of them seeming more tense than normal, but deep down, it surprised herself.

“_It doesn't matter, what they think of me. In the end, they might be even more pawns than me.”_

In record time, she was escorted down the long hallway and Theresa had only time for one quick thought before the large door was opened and shortly shut close behind her.

“_I am entering here without proper mental preparation this time, completely worked up from my...time in the park. Nevertheless, I mustn't falter: Tending to his wounds is top priority, I can work everything else out while I am working.”_

With a “thump” the mechanisms clicked into place and somehow, this time, the sound felt more definitive. By now, the prison cell felt like a familiar place and as unnerving as that fact in itself was, it made her steps towards the table fast and secure. Tessa evaded looking at her patient for now and was so focused on mentally preparing herself for his blemished, dying figure, that she only realised that the doctor's suitcase wasn't on the table when her hand touched nothing but air.

“_What...where are my tools...did Holmes hide them, so that I...”_

Moriarty's low, dark chuckle filled the small room and still confused, Tessa turned around to face him. Mesmerized, her glance swept over his bandaged feet, his neatly patched up chest wound and followed his wrapped finger, that was tracing the bottom rim of his lips. She blinked.

“Ah, there is my one, only and favourite doctor!”

His exclamation was filled to the brim with joy, he sounded like a young boy on Christmas, who had just really received the way to expensive gift he had wished for. Tessa was captivated by his eyes, unable to look anywhere else but in those dark spheres, but her mind was spinning.

“Don't you find it _fascinating_”, the word was nothing more than a hiss,”how fast people react as soon as you threaten someone dear to them?”

The young doctor shook her head as to restart her though process, while the criminal seemingly relaxed back into his torture chair, breathing in the atmosphere he had just created. Her eyes darted around the room and then, it finally clicked. His hands weren't fixated on the chair any more. Nor were his feet.

“Y...you... how did you free...”

The rest of her sentence got stuck in her throat, because James chose this exact moment to rise. He was about a head taller than she was, lean and under his skin, calculatedly trained muscles played – he was no brute, but a deadly panther. And free.

“And you, Tessa, raced here in record time, although judging from the state of your hair and the dried sweat on your skin, you aren't used to running this fast any more.”

He took one step forward, she took one step back. From his posture and the relaxed way he moved, it was clear that he wasn't worried about the guards at all.

“_He freed himself and now I am trapped inside a prison cell with him. Since he also isn't injured again, another torture session hasn't taken place, making Holmes a... oh...”._

Another step from both parties. Slowly, but surely, Moriarty backed her into the corner through his aura and charisma alone – a power, he clearly enjoyed. Suddenly, he stopped in the middle of a step, his eyes lighting up and a broad grin appeared on his face.

“AH! Does this mean, I am dear to you...Tessa?”

He finished his step and when the young doctor did the same, she felt the cold rim of the metal table push against her backside. There was no place for her to further go backwards besides on top of the empty surface. In an almost theatrical way, her patient raised one of his hands and pressed it against his chest directly above his heart, completely ignoring the pain this most have caused him.

“I am flattered! Usually, people don't want me in their lives or nowhere near them...or their loved ones... or their acquainted... anyone to be honest.”

“_I need to do something, I need to distract him, alarm the guards...”_

Breathing in, Tessa used his pause to blurt something out herself.

“You have tricked me! The guards weren't sent by Holmes, the end of the message lacked his usual signature and everybody I have met today was unusually nervous.”

This sent James into a delighted giggle, probably the most unnerving giggle Theresa had heard in her whole life. The pace of her heart quickened another step, galloping in her chest and her throat like a rampant horse, only spurred on when he tilted his head and fixated her again.

“I knew you were a smart one! I...like...the smart...ones...”

When you are backed into a corner and clear thinking becomes impossible, something different kicks in, replacing consciousness with instinctive reflexes. In sync with his last, whispered words, James closed the last gap between them, causing Tessa to sit on the edge of the table and stretched out his hands towards her. Her mind betrayed her, but her training didn't. Reacting to his motion, her arms shot upwards, blocking his direct movement path and slammed against the soft inside of his forearm. Unfortunately for her, this also wasn't the desperate, sad neighbourhood drug addict.

Moriarty's movements were to fast for her to follow with her eyes, she only realised she had lost for good, when the tips of his fingers pressed into particular portions of her arms. He attacked like a snake, rushing forward to bite its target and then retreating with the same elegance and flow. Tessa's defence crumbled to dust as her arms went limb and unresponsive.

“_I think I have read about some Asian monks using this fighting technique, targeting those parts of the body where most nerves bundle together. They block that path and thus render their opponent useless until the way is opened up again through time or massage. Which means, I am now utterly at his mercy... I could kick him...”_

James towered before her now, standing between her slightly spread legs and after a quick lick over his lips, he lowered his head into the curve of her neck. Tessa could feel his hot breath hitting her earlobe with each word.

“You seem injured, darling... Allow me to return the favour and... heal you.”

His bandaged hands gently moved along her arms, applying pressure in just the right places, massaging feeling back into her limbs. It didn't hurt, yet it caused a hot, tingly sensation, that sent goosebumps down her back and shot straight between her legs.

“What do you want from me?”

Tessa inwardly applauded herself for the first coherent sentence she had gotten out for a long time. His actions didn't make sense to her – why should he first render her defenceless only to give it back to her instantly?

“_He is just like this Holmes, wanting to show me how much power he holds over me, getting off from it. His is the power to decide when I can move and when I can't and so on. And unfortunately for me, I am to weak to do anything against it.“_

As if he was able read her thoughts, James sighed into her ear, causing Tessa to shiver.

„All of this is a great game, Tessa, and until now, you have been nothing but a chess piece. But I am not like this imbecile Mycroft Holmes.“

James's soft massage had moved up her arms, over her shoulder and by now, his fingers were brushing along the rim of her summer dress, caressing her delicate flesh.

„I give you the possibility to make your own move, as a player, right now. Right here, Tessa. There are so many things you could do to...or with me and all of them would upset this Holmes brute.“

At the repeated mention of this name, Tessa's jaw and hands clenched, something that didn't go unnoticed. Anger was boiling deep inside her stomach, burning at the memory of the shame, the helplessness as the bureaucrat had invaded into her apartment.

„The thought of unsettling, annoying him is exciting to you, isn't it? This right now is not about what he wants, Tessa...“

Why was it so hard to resist the sweet poison this man dripped into her ear?

„This is about what YOU want...“

„_What I want...I want to go outside of this prison cell, I want to get out of this stupid contract, I want to forget all of this...but none of these things is possible!“_

The heat between her thighs flared up, causing her to clench her legs around his: His hands had just slipped under the edge of her dress, now tracing the rim of her lace bra. And coupled with her need, the memories of her own dark, sultry fantasies crept back into her consciousness.

„_Yes...it would upset Holmes...it would prevent Moriarty from raping me...and for better or for worse, I have wanted this for to long...my move...“_

Her fingers shot up, grabbed the back of his head and laced themselves deeply into his silky, black hair and pulled his face on top of hers. Then their lips crashed together and Tessa closed her eyes, giving herself up to her own desires.

Heat spread from her abdomen through her whole body, adrenaline singing through her veins, chasing away the anxiety and fear. This was not the careful pecks the young woman had had in her early years nor was it the abusive onslaught from her last few boyfriend attempts. His lips were soft and tender, full cushions knowingly moving against her own in heated fashion, consuming her.   
By now, Tessa's whole being was engulfed in the flames of lust, fuelling the passionate kiss and his tongue asked for entrance into her mouth the same moment his sleek, agile hands slipped under her bra. She willingly granted it to him and breathed in his laugh, using it as a fresh breath of life spurring her on further. His tongue circled hers, masterfully mimicking the slow circles his fingers drew around the crown of her breasts.

„_God he tastes so good...everything he does feels so nice... this is so stupid and dangerous, yet it feels so wonderfully...“_

Moriarty licked her first moan from her lips, teasingly sucking in her bottom lip before breaking the kiss – Tessa was a panting, squirming mess underneath him, while he seemed to retain his composure. A predatory grin tugged at his lips and when he moved his hands from her breasts, resting them back at her shoulders, the young doctor almost whined.

„So this is your move? It seems I wasn't mistaken after all...very well...help me, then.“

Deliberate thinking was disabled, all of her actions were now motivated by her previously so well contained need. Maybe it was because of this detention, that the wave of desire swept her away so forcefully right now, but Tessa wouldn't complain about the sweet release it foretold. With a quick nod showing him her approval, her hands hastily moved towards his lose pair of prison trousers, that only loosely hid the promising bulge. Theresa rid him of his trousers and boxers the sane time James pushed down the straps of her dress and bra, granting them both free access to the objects of their desire.

The young woman sucked in her breath, when she first laid eyes on his member – he was perfect. Larger than any man she had previously been with, her wet core pulsated in anticipation – she was sure he would reach new depths inside of her. Carefully, almost shy, Tessa closed her right hand around him and was delighted to discover that he not only looked like steel wrapped in white silk, but also felt like it. His reaction came immediately, his breath quickening and when Tessa started leading her hand up and down, James moaned against her breasts.

Moriarty hadn't been still as well, trailing half kisses-half bites down her jawline, over her throat towards her breasts. Resting there, he started his sensual assault, licking around the pinkish outer lines of her nipples, only sucking the hard tips into his mouth, when she rewarded him with the sweetest of moans. His fingers were diving deeper, pushing up her dress even further and brushing over the wet silk of her panties.

The second James touched her wet core, even through the annoyingly still present barrier, Tessa's body jerked. Her left hand grasped the rim of the table, stabilising herself, while her right almost painfully squeezed his dick. Her desire increased tenfold, her voice was hoarse from need, when she threw out her dignity and started begging.

„Please, James... this here is so irrational, please make it worth it...“

For the first time since the kiss, he locked eyes with her and Theresa was consumed by the fire burning within them. She was sure, that this weren't the flames of insanity she had seen hiding inside them before, but living, flickering passion.

„A fine move indeed, Tessa...my...Tessa. And benevolent rulers grant the desires of their subordinates, you know?“

His right, hurt hand sneaked around her backside, briskly slapping her ass before pushing her towards him. Tessa let out a moaned scream before helping him: she was now only barely still sitting on the table, her lower body mostly hanging in the air. With one last pumping motion, she coated his member in his own slick precum, before letting go of it – she would need both of her arms to prevent herself from falling over. Seeing James bite his own lip in reaction to her actions was a thing of beauty and...

„Oooooh...“

The index finger of his left hand had pushed aside the thin fabric and was now performing its first full stroke through her wet folds, stopping above her swollen clit and pressing down on the sensitive nub. For a brief second, Tessa forgot how to breathe.  
Her patient had pressed his mouth against her ear again, licking around the soft rim of her earlobe. All of his movements mirrored each other, a perfect choreography meant to bring her pleasure: the circling motions against her clit, the tips of his fingers clasping her right butt cheek, the licks against her ear.

In the back of her head, one conscious thought formed itself.   
_ „He did say he was ambidextrous...“ _

„You are wonderful, Tessa... it's a shame Holmes wouldn't give you credit for what you truly are...“

Further poison dripped into her ear, settling deep inside her heart. She would have to think about everything he had told her, but for now only one thing was important. Luckily, James seemed inclined to give it to her.

Not bothering to strip her of her panties, he used his left hand to hold away the fabric and with a quick motion of his hip, Tessa felt the head of his member press against her entrance. His pleasure mixed with hers, causing him to slide inside of her easily despite his size with one silky stroke. Their combined moans echoed through the chamber, obscenely ringing in her ears.

He felt so good, probing depths nobody had reached before and the hot stretching burn was tantalizing. The table had the perfect height, it was as if it had been built for this moment, granting him perfect access. James, in what seemed a moment of care, paused after he had buried half of his length inside her core and searched her face for signs of displeasure or agony. Tessa's face was red, sweaty and her breath came out in pants, but she was visibly enjoying this. When she saw the small hint of concern flicker across his features, she flashed him a reassuring smile.

„It's fine, please give me all of it... you feel so wonderful...“

Moriarty also smiled, but his smile was not reassuring, but an unsettling display of dominance and calculation. Before Theresa could think about that further, one quick buck of his hips drilled the rest of his member inside of her, hitting a hidden spot and let her see stars.

From that moment onward, both were unleashed and passionately made out with each other. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, dashing over her breasts, her clit, her arms and his mouth followed suit, covering her in suck and bite marks. Tessa was busy with clinging onto the table for dear life, meeting his hard and long thrusts with her own desperate movements and captured his lips every time his mouth came close enough, locking them in heated kisses. The prison cell was filled with their panting and moaning and the exhilarating noises he made whenever he pulled back out of her wetness before slapping inside again.

The young doctor felt her own release building up inside of her, white, sharp flashes of something more and began to chase it. James was a masterful painter and she his willing canvas, each one of his strokes bringing him closer to the completion of his masterpiece, that would be a world-rocking orgasm for both of them. He alternated between deep, fast strokes and twisting his hips in a way, that made her cry out in pleasure every time he did it. Tessa couldn't tell if the emotions twisting his face were real or a deliberate facade – the only thing she was certain about was that if he held on any tighter, his nails would leave bloody bruises on her thighs.

„Do you like this, Tessa? Giving yourself up to me, choosing sin? Do you enjoy your one and only move?“

Theresa howled her agreement to the white, sterile ceiling.

„_Only one more of those deep strokes or one more press against my clit, him twisting my nipples between his fingers again... then I could...would...please...“_

Her whole body was twitching, going into spasm under the immense pressure, the desired release immanent. Deep in her belly, she could feel his dick twitch in tune with her walls clasping around him, almost as if she was milking him... they were both so close, she could see it in the burning abyss that were his eyes.

The heavy metal door swung open and hit the wall with a harsh „thump“, the unexpected sound cutting through the heated, sexual atmosphere like a cold knife. With hazy, desire filled eyes, Tessa could only barely make out the intruders silhouette over James's shoulder: a tall, slender man with...

„_Oh no...“_

His dark voice, filled with undisguised disgust, was the last nail in the coffin of Theresa's orgasm.

„Just what in God's name do you think you are doing?“

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy it so far!  
I am always happy about feedback, comments and of course kudos <3  
I have the complete story planed out, that's why I can give an estimate chapter number. However, I don't know how often I will be able to update this. If you enjoy it, please hang in there - I won't forget it completely, promised!


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